KathyN

1 hour ago, JeremyNg266 said:

What sort of documents do u need to prepare if u dont mind me asking ? tks !

I sent them the IMMI request to leave, my passport page, and G2G Grant to enter Perth.

3 hours ago, JeremyNg266 said:

Thanks for your info! 

However I have contacted Singapore Airlines today and they seems to not knowing anything about this and said this is Embassy’s work

That is so odd! I remember I only needed to call them to book a return trip on the phone, then about 2 days before my flights Singapore Airlines in Brisbane emailed me about visa documents.

2 hours ago, Samvaz99 said:

Thanks so much KathyN

could you please advise how did you book flight through Flight Centre or Singapore Airlines.

please help..

thank you 

I booked directly through Singapore Airlines.

4 minutes ago, Kathss56 said:

@KathyN has just been to Singapore briefly. Perhaps she can help?.

I have replied to Emma in the Facebook group but for others' benefit I will repeat the steps here: 

1. Book return flights to Singapore that have a short transit period in Singapore.

2. Advise your case officer and asks them if your tickets look alright for your mum to be granted PR before her flight back to Australia. 

3. Your airline will likely contact you for visa documents that allow your mum to travel outside of Australia (as a temporary visa holder) and permit to come back as a PR. 

4. tell the airline of your situation. They will likely make arrangements with Australian Border Force, provided with your case officer's approval and cooperation, to let your mum go through customs in Singapore, then get granted PR before she boards the plane to Singapore. Otherwise she will not be allowed to depart at all. 

5. Then it is just a matter of keeping herself safe on flights, taking health precautions, etc. As a transfer passenger from Australia who does not go out of immigration clearance to enter Singapore, your mum can stay in the transfer terminal of Changi Airport before she gets on the flight back to Australia. 

6. Quarantine in Australia.

4 hours ago, Kathss56 said:

Some visa categories do not now have to leaves Oz to get visa grant. BUT parent  visas( eg 143 ) are NOT included in the list. No surprise there, feeling totally discriminated against!! 

https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/covid-19-visa-concessions

This is terribly uncertain! Even if parents were included in this concession, they would still have to wait until "early 2021"??

10 hours ago, Yorkie said:

Congratulations!. Did you have to get a G2G Pass to get back into Perth?

Thank you. I had the G2G Pass. Everyone has to. You either get it approved and given a QR code before you arrive, or have to fill in the paper form at customs.

Nevermind, I found that condition on the website. My grant doesn't have this condition  so it seems this is a discretionary condition, not a mandatory condition. My case officer did not have any issue with my travel plans.

4 hours ago, Kathss56 said:

Well done. Did you upgrade on the way back?
Message me in the week  about quarantine life!!  haha 

I didn't upgrade because Business Class was full. I ended up having 3 seats to myself anyway so I could lie down  Economy was empty

1 hour ago, hmn141905 said:

Hi Kathy,

Can you clarify if your parents have already entered Australia prior to your departure? I remember you mentioned your parents were offshore. As main applicants, your parents would have to enter first right? You as dependent can't enter Australia as PR before your parents???

I'm not sure. My parents have not entered. Our visa grants did not require that I must enter after them. Where did you find that requirement?

Hi all, I have landed in Perth and on my way to hotel quarantine. Thank you for your good wishes and good luck to everyone waiting to receive 2nd VAC

Just a tip for anyone thinking about not boarding the flights after getting visa at the airport - the Border Force will make sure you board the plane and fly away! They escorted me the whole way to the gate. Each one there knew about my case and my face since it is quite "special".

13 minutes ago, Kathss56 said:

Fabulous!! How long did you wait?

Good luck coming back! 

Only 3 minutes after I sat down in departure!

Also upgraded my ticket to Singapore to Business class and will try to do the same for the trip back just in case anything happens 🥴

In departure area and just got my visa grant!

4 hours ago, Kathss56 said:

Gosh I hope it comes through this is so ridiculous!  Hope you’re ok and not feeling to anxious. Feel for you! Good luck! Can you not apply for air travel pass now , does it come through instantly. After all you are coming in from Oz which is on the safe list 

Unfortunately the Air Travel Pass must be applied between 7 and 30 days before date of departure, and I only bought my tickets on Monday

4 hours ago, KathyN said:

I just received this email from GSD_BNE@singaporeair.com.sg and am unsure how to respond.

Considering I do not yet have Australian PR at the moment, will they not let me check in?! The flight on Friday is the one departing Brisbane to Singapore, not even the one arriving in Perth on Saturday.

I also got the G2G Travel Permit for Western Australia, but I don't know if that is the "required health documents" ?? I searched but don't see any other documents required for entry into Western Australia! 

Can anyone please help? I have replied to their email asking for a phone number to discuss.

Crisis averted! The airline agreed to escort me through customs and wait for my visa grant letter until 1 hour before boarding time. Then they will let me go! 

Otherwise they will offload me and I will have rebook flights and apply for an Air Travel Pass to enter Singapore, then go back to Australia. 

Fingers crossed!

I just received this email from GSD_BNE@singaporeair.com.sg and am unsure how to respond.

Considering I do not yet have Australian PR at the moment, will they not let me check in?! The flight on Friday is the one departing Brisbane to Singapore, not even the one arriving in Perth on Saturday.

I also got the G2G Travel Permit for Western Australia, but I don't know if that is the "required health documents" ?? I searched but don't see any other documents required for entry into Western Australia! 

Can anyone please help? I have replied to their email asking for a phone number to discuss.

1 hour ago, SusieRoo said:

So if you get notice that your visa has been granted before boarding your flight, you should be able to simply stay in Australia and re-enter back through customs. No need to actually fly, which must be safer for everyone. It may be worth just taking hand luggage and arrive many hours early to give more time to get the visa before your flight departs.  

I understand that technically I could do that, but the case officer said I have to actually fly for them to do their job. When I come back I will quarantine in Perth and have to take the risk I guess.

18 minutes ago, Kathss56 said:

Wow! Good news. Are you flying out in Western time business hours then? Please let us know how you get on with it and your flight back. Good luck  

Yes that's exactly it. The case officer says they will stay back as late as possible until close of business that day, and gave us their direct phone number for emergencies! 

Today we received a call (!!!) from our case officer about my travel plans. The case officer was very considerate and accommodating, saying that as soon as I am cleared at immigration clearance and in the boarding area in Brisbane, they will do the paperwork to issue my grant letter straight away.

37 minutes ago, Kathss56 said:

@KathyN they mean Allow 4-5 days out of the country. However!’ Sometimes visa activates grant after a few hours, sometimes the next day. but this is not guaranteed 

Thanks @Kathss56 I have emailed my travel plans to my case officer but have not received a response as to whether that would be okay.

Now I'm panicking haha.

On 20/11/2020 at 20:14, Chanduni said:

Hi everyone,

We got the 2nd VAC request yesterday and we paid it yesterday.  This is for the 143 visa that was applied in February 2016. As we are currently onshore, we got letter from the Immigration that we need to leave the country for at least 3 working days for them to grant the visa. Does anyone have a similar experience and where did you travel to? With the current situation, we are not sure which country is safe to go and doesn’t require a visa to enter that country and whether they will have us be in quarantine for 14 days . We are prepared to be in quarantine for 14 days once we come back to Australia. I really appreciate anyone’s knowledge and ideas regarding this matter 

Hi, did the letter say that you have to leave then wait for at least 3 working days for them to grant the visa, before you can go back? 

My letter said this, which confuses me: "Please confirm your travel arrangements, dates of travel and allow for 3-5 working days for
us to finalise your visa application."

I'm not sure if this means 3-5 working days before I can depart Australia, or 3-5 working days from date of departure for my visa to be granted? 

Probably might have to rebook my flights if the latter is true, since I have booked return flights with only 5 hours of transit in Singapore!

18 minutes ago, cfernandes said:

@KathyNAll the very best with this. I can imagine the stress levels going through all of this hassle. But sooner than latet I think my in-laws too will have to go through this. They too will be onshore when we get the intimation to pay the 2nd VAC. 

Yes, I've done this hoping I can be with my family for Christmas

1 minute ago, Kathss56 said:

Is that long enough to activate yr visa. I know sometimes it’s pretty instant but not always 

If in the unfortunate case that it takes longer, I will have to change the return date then, and stay in Singapore for a while and do the 2 day test.

26 minutes ago, Kathss56 said:

Yes I would say definitely Perth it’s about $2520 for one person. Are you sure  you don’t have to do 2 days quarantine /testing in Singapore?? Or are flights from Oz exempt from that? 
... The risk is your return flight being seriously delayed or cancelled. Mainly due to Adelaide closing the other day though so

I found on Singapore Airlines websites that when transiting through Singapore, passengers from other countries except for India, Indonesia and Philippines are not required to do the Covid test in Singapore. https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/travel-info/covid-19/#

General information for transit through Singapore Changi: https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/travel-info/transit-through-singapore/

15 minutes ago, Kathss56 said:

Yes I would say definitely Perth it’s about $2520 for one person. Are you sure  you don’t have to do 2 days quarantine /testing in Singapore?? Or are flights from Oz exempt from that? 
... The risk is your return flight being seriously delayed or cancelled. Mainly due to Adelaide closing the other day though so

Yes the airline says only a 5-hour transit in Singapore. I think transiting flights are exempt, but let me check to be sure.

I called Singapore Airlines and was able to book return flights to Singapore from 27 to 28 November (this weekend)! My return flight will be to Perth, then I will book a domestic flight from Perth to Brisbane.

Does anyone know if I will need to quarantine in Perth or can I quarantine in Brisbane? My hunch says Perth, then no need to quarantine again in Brisbane.